Understanding the Impact of the CMS 2017 ASC Payment Rule on Spine Procedures

Becker’s Spine Review

On November 1, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2017 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Payment System final rule. The policy changes clearly signal that the reimbursement environment for spine surgery continues to evolve, and this shift is not limited to Medicare. Commercial payers are expected to react to the CMS rule with updates of their own. This article shares highlights of CMS’s final rule and discusses the implications for owners and operators of ambulatory surgery centers.